Lumber stacker



Jan. 15, 1935. J KNUDSON 1,988,204

LUMBER STACKER Filed Nov. 11, 1933 8`s'hee1s-shee1 1 mga 1 3 \b Inventor f1 llorney Jan. 15|, 1935. J. KNUDsoN 1,988,204

LUMBER STACKER Filed Nov. ll, l1933 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 l Byumwn.

`,qllorney Inventor J. IKNUDSON LUMBER STACKER Jan. 15, 1935.

8 sheets-sheet 5 Filed Nov. l1, 1933 v f1 llorney J. KNUDSON Jan. -l5, 1935-.

LUMBER STACKER Filed Nov. ll, 1933 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 J. KNUDSON LUMBER STACKER Jan. l5, 1935.l

8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. ll, 1953 nvenior Jan. 15'-,v 1935. -J. KNUDSON 1,988,204

LUMBER STACKER Filed Nov. ll, 1953 8 Sheets-Shea?l 6 a Rw llomey J. KNUDSON LUMBER STACKER Jam 15, 1935.

8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Nov. ll. 1933 jl Home y J. KNUDSON LUMBER STACKER Jan. l5, 1935.

Filed Nov. ll, 1933 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Inventor Qj S070 Patented Jan. l5, 1935 UNITED STATES LUMBER s'rAoKEa John Knudson, Libby, Mont. Application Novemberfll, 1933, Serial No. `697,664

8 Claims.

' 5. for feedingl the lumber to the stack and placing strips between the layers of lumber and in such a manner that the lumber can be easily quickly rstacked with the minimum amount oi labor.

This .invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and speciiicallyv pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reierence will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, vand in whichzv Figure l is an elevation of the invention showing the same associated with a car on which the lumber is stacked and with the car moved vertically by hydraulic means'.

Figure 2 is a top plan View ofthe inven-` tion. 1 i i Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view with the carriage in its rearmost position and with the strip holding means removed.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a rear end view.

Figure '7 isa section on line '7-'7 of Figure 3.

Figure 8 is al sectional detail View showing the finger carrying shait and one of the lingers thereof for holding the lumber from return movement after being placed on the stack.

Figure 9 is a view of the bar operated by the movement of the carriagefor rocking said finger carrying shaft.

Figure 10 is a View or" said shaft. Figure 11 is a View of the end member to which the rear ends ofthe tracks are connected and which carries the rear shaft for the upper reach of the endless members.y

Figure l2 is a plan view showing howy one section of a track memberis-hinged to the othery section. 1

Figure 13 is a section on line 13--13 of Figure 12. f l

Figure 14 is a 'section on line lli-14 of Figure 12. l j

` igure l5 is a'fragmentary vertical sectional view7 the section'being taken through Figure 11 and this figure also shows a portionof the lever for raising and lowering the rear end of the tracks. f f

Figure 16 is a'fragmentary top plan View of the rear end oi one of the track members and a part of the cross piece l.shownl in Figurell-.f

and

Figure 17 is a fragmentary sectional View through one of the track members and showing one of the sprocket wheels.

Figure v18 is aview 'showing the clutch means for the drive of the disk which operates the cartriage. v v

Figure 19 is a section on line 19-19 of Figure 18. Figure 20 is a section on line 20-20 of Figure 18; w figure 2l is a sectional View ythrough the cylinder.

Figure 22 is a top plan Viewl of the frame for holding and depositing the strips. v

`Figure 23 is a section on line 23-23 of Figure v22.

Figure 24vis a bottom plan the strip holders. Figure 25 is a section `24 View ofV one of Online 25-2'5 pr Figure Figure 26 is a section on line 26-26 of Figure 23. v Figure 27 isa View of one of the latch members for holding the rear end of a strip.

Figure 28 is a View of the carriage bar for operating the strip release bar.

Figure 29 is a View of one of the combined release and knife members. y i

Figure 30 is a plan View of the carriage. Figure 3lV isa View of the shaft'and its associated parts ior operating the levers which raise and lower the rear ends of the ytrack members. Figure 32 is a sectional view through the valve. Figure 33 is a vie-w of the lever for operating the members which deposit the lumbery upon the endless members.v

Figure 34 is a top plan View sho-wing howthe strips are placed on a layer of lumber on the stack.

Figure 35 is a View of one of the strips.

of which has a rearpart 1 hingedthereto for vertical swinging movement, as shown at 2v. Endchains, passv through grooves formed in the up# per faces of these `track members, and these members pass over the upper sprockets 4j carriedv by the front and rear shafts 5 and vover-the sprockets 6 carried bythe front and rear shafts 7, these shafts being carriedy by thefhangers 8 operated In these drawings, the latter A indicates a horf less members 3, preferably madein the form of r carried by the front and rear ends of the frame at ber or chain moves in a rectangular path with the upper vreach thereof passing through the groove in a track member so that these endless members will move lumber from'the front of the frame'to `the rear thereof.

the lower part thereof` Thus each endless mem,. .55

#the rod 15,- see nected with the plug 17 oa valverlaplaced ina v"conduit'Ztl-leading Vfromaisource i ofxuid yunder vfltneyond 'the rear-end vof the frame ,and during The lumber tobe stacked is placed by hand on the pair of supporting beams 9 which are fastened to the ends of a shaft l0 supported for rocking movement in the'forward part of the frame, and each member 'is arranged adjacent the'oute'r side of each endless member and each Tmember `or beam 9 is attached to the'shaft 10 at a point slightly in rear of the center of the beam. Each beam has a projection 1l extending upwardly therefrom, adjacent each end thereof,'the rear projections preventing the lumber ifror'n 'passing oil? the beams until saidbeams are tiltedby a hand lever 12 pivoted intermediate its ends to'a side of the frame and having its rear endgbent n at right angles, as shownV at 13 in Figure 33, to

pass under theforwa'rd-l end ofA one of the-beams 9, shown-y in- Figure 2. Thusnbyfdepressing the handle part of this lever, the two beams v.are

l`4tilted sothat vthe rearprojections llpass below the track bars l and Uthusl the =en`dless u.members canmove the lumber, which has been placedin .a layer on-lthebeamsftoward-the rear: endof vthe ifra-me. An upright board-#14:isi'iastenedrto `the frame, at one side thereof,: and acts as a gauge 'for the endsJofthe lumber-as vit -isplaced `on th beams 9. y' 1 `AVV-'henv--tlle `lumber 'reachesthe rear 'end of vthe frame, the firstpiecestrikes a -pivoted finger 1`5 yat the rear endof theframe forces-the same outwardly land downwardly, which exerts a pullfon Figureland as this rod is conpressure to a cylinder 21, the fluid enters .the

` i cylinder and 'moves a vpistfz nf22 therein and.v thus the piston rod 23 to swing forwardly a 'hinged post24 againstuthe action of .a spring 25 so as to move `the post outofr contact withfaprojectionl26 on a disk Z'Zattached tothe upper end of avert-ical shaftf28'journaled1iin `the/frame.` 'The -post v24 :is hinged to` alever$29 pivoted intermediate its end to abracketattached toia lovverpartVv 'of the frame and the forward end of f this lever is connectedby alink'31 to a clutch shifting lever 3?. for sliding lthe clutch part 33,

on a shaft section 34,\iinto and out of engagement `with the spring-actuated clutch arms which are adapted to engage recesses 36in' the section '34. These arms are carried by a tubular part 37 attached to a shaft section 38 which is driven by means'hereinafter to be described. 'The section 34 carries a pinion 39 whichmeshes with the gear 40 on the lower end of the shaft 23 which vcarries the disk 27. A spring 4l `connects the lever 29 with a part of the frame and tends-to move the lparts to a'position to engagethe clutchmemi bers so that when the post 24is moved by the `operation of the piston in cylinder 21, out of engagement with theprojection 26 of the disk 27,

"the spring 4l' moves the lever 29 to a position v which will cause .the link 31 vand the lever 32 to operate the clutch parts and thus connect the disk 27 with the ldriven shaft 33 so that the disk will be rotated. f

1 'I'he rst part of the movement of the disk 27 will cause a projection 42 thereon to engage the f upright part 43 of a sliding'bar 44 so that .this bar is moved. forwardly and this results in a rocking movement of the shaft 45 to which the bar is connected `by the arm 46 land said shaft has the f `arms 47 thereon, see Figure 31, for engagingthe forward ends of levers 48v pivoted at 49,.and this rocking movement of the shaft moves the arms f .47 out "of engagement with the levers, which have their rear ends pivoted to theA depending A.mem-

upwardly, the vertically arranged stop bars 53 connected at their lower ends with the levers 48, will have their upper ends moved above the track :sections-and the upper reaches of the endless membersso that these bars 53 will act as stop 'members to prevent another load of lumber depositeddlpon the endless members by lthe tilting of the beams 9, from moving rearwardly with the -rstf lumber Ydeposited uponzthe .endles` members.

I The :rear .=upper shaftwhicncarries .the

fsprocketsfi forthe endless membersis also carriedfbytthisfmemberv .and-.downward movement lof: theeparts yis limited by thestopfniembers 1,54 attached .toi thecross pieceii-50,. engaging the yupper :end` ofsthc rearpart {i5-of the. frame.

As the :freanends .of the v.track-;-:ectons ,move downwardly, the lumber will be depositedzllpon 2 the fingers :57h-f .a carriage 158 .slidablyf arranged intheframe :andy said lingers have the jupstandng projections y59 intermediate theirends -for ,Gaus- 4ing the lumber tomovewith the carriage. fThe Qcariziageis providedwitha tongue ,60 to `which the rear end of a pitman-.l is. pivoted, the front endcfthepitman being pivoted at62 to the pro- Afjectiorr26 :ofthe rdisk 27.

:Asrwill :be;seen,the carriage moves the lumber the rearward movement of the carriagea-pro- --jection vi631 thereon engages ashoulder 64 on a sliding bar l65ysupported on the framefbythe wguides softhatthe bargis, movedvby the carriage and the rear end of the baris connected by a link .68', with` the bent end oiashaft 67journaled in the rear part of the frame rand provided kwith `the fingersipsee Figures 8 and 10. Thus the-ShatGTis :rocked to aposition vwhere the lingers will be substantially vertical and these fingers act toprevent the -lumber onthengers of the carriage Afrom returning'with the carriage as the carriage returns -to its normal position. Thus these lingers Ywill push the lumber `olf the carriage .and upon the stack. On the return movement of` the carriage, theproje'ction '63 strikes another` shoulder 69.0n the bar 65,\ which returns the parts to normal position, with the `fingers v68 in lowered position yand fitting inl recessesf70 in therear part of the frame, as shown in Figure 8.

As the carriage nears its l'rear limitof movement, a part thereon strikes a block 52 on a: bar 52 which is pivoted at its front `end to` an arm 53-.on the shaft `49 so that the bar 521s moved rearwardly and this movement returns the shaftziO 45 to the position shown vin Figure 4, with the arms 47 Ydepressing the levers 48,1s0 that the `stop members 53 are lowered and the rear ends of the track sections raised. Al guide 56 is provided for the bar 52.

When the nger 15 has been released bythe lumber, a spring 71 connected to the arm of the valve returns the parts to normal position and in this normal position the plug 17 is moved to the position shown in Figure 32, so that the sup-Fi ply pipe 20 is closed and the cylinder is in communication with the atmosphere.l `When this takes place, the spring 25 returns :the post 24 to ,upright position and moves the piston to its normal position 4in thetcylinder, :as shown ,in Eigurelz75 21, and as the projection 26 of the disk 27 strikes the post 24 near the end of the revolution of the disk, the lever 29 is returned to its normal position, shown in Figure 2, against the action of the spring 41, so that the clutch is moved to releasing position and the parts come to rest in the position they occupy in Figure 2.

A motor M is supported on the frame and its shaft is operatively connected to the section shaft 38, such as by the chain and sprockets shown generally at 73 in Figure 1and said shaft 38 carries a pulley 74 over which a belt 75 passes, said belt also passing overa pulley 76 on the upper sprocket carrying shaft at the rear of the frame and as this shaft is the one which is carried by the movable part 50, it Will be seen that the drive of the endless members Will not be interfered With by the up and down movement of the rear ends of the track members and endless members. i

A frame B is supported from the rear end of the main frame A and projects beyond said rear end and includes the long rear uprights 78 in f. which are rotatably supported the lower shaft 79 and the upper shaft 80. The lower shaft carries the drums 81 and this shaft is rotated by means of a crank handle 82 and is held in adjusted position by the ratchet means 83. Cables 84 are wound on the drums and pass over the pulleys 85 on the shaft 80 and thesecables are connected to the front end of a tiltable frame 86, see Figure 22, which has trunnions 87 at the rear ends of its side pieces which fit in the vertically arranged slotted brackets 88 carried by the uprights 78, see Figure 6. The rear end of the frame 86 may be adjusted `vertically through means of a hand lever 89 pivoted to a depending part 90 at the rear end of the frame 86 and held in adjusted position by the sector 91. Thus this frame 86 can be raisedand lowered and have its inclination adjusted by means of the lever 89 and the cables and drums.

Front and rear pieces of this frame 86 are formed with the notches 92 in their'upper edges for receiving the ends of the holders 93 for holding the strips which are used to space the layers of lumber in the stack. Each of these holders is formed of a pair of side pieces 93 and the front and rear end pieces 93, these parts forming a chamber for receiving the strips and, as shown in Figure 25, the side pieces are extended beyond the front end to engage a notch in the front ends of the frame 86. The end pieces 93 are beveled, as shown in Figure'25, to facilitate placing of the strips in the holder. A pair of spring actuated latch members 94 is arranged adjacent the rear end piece 93 and one of these latch members is shown in Figure 27. As will be seen, the front bent ends of these latch members extend across the bottom of the chamber formed by the holder to support the rear ends of the strips placed therein. These latch members are connected together by a spring 95 which holds the latch members in holding position.

To the lower edge of the front end piece 93" of each holder is pivoted a combined holding member and knife 96, shown in Figure 29. This member includes the substantially Z-shaped arm 97 having a notch 98 in its upper end, the holder part 99 and the beveled member or knife 100. The holder part normally. extends into the front end of the chamber of theA holder and supports the front end of a strip placed therein.

A bar 101 is slidably arranged in the front part of the frame 86 and carries the pins 102 for A bell crank 103 is pivoted to an upright 104 l on the rear of the main frame A and this bell D crank is connected to one end ofthe bar 101 by a pin 105 on the end of the bar 101 engaging a slot 106 in the bell crank. A bar 107, shown in Figure 28, is pivoted to the bell crank and passes through an opening in the upper end of an upright 108 attached to thecarriage and said bar is formed with the projections 109 spaced apart and engaged by the upright 108 so that the bar is moved by the carriage when" the same nears either limit of its movement.

Thus it will be seen that the strips used for separating the layers of lumber are placed in the holders and that different numbers of these holders can be used. according to the number of strips to be used and the holders can be adjusted in the frame by providing a plurality` of the notches 92. As the carriage moves rearwardly, the upright 108 thereon will engage the rearmost projection 109 on the bar 107 so that the bar operates the bell crank 103 and shifts the bar 191 so that the `holders 99 of the members 96 are i moved from under the front ends of the strips placed in theholder members 93 and thus the front'ends of the strips will drop upon the top of the stack and before the front end o'f a strip is released by the member 99,` the knife 100 passes between the front end of the lowermost strip and the nertstrip so that this knife acts to hold the second strip'from the bottom in the holder as the front end of the bottom strip drops therefrom. On the reverse movementof the member 96, the'member 99 moves to a position to catch the front end of a strip before the knife 190 releases said end of said strip. As the rear ends of the strips are still heldl by the latch lmembers 94, the strips will assume an inclined position, as shown by 110 in Figure l, so that the new layer of lumber being placed on the stack by the carriage will move up the strips and as soonas the Weight of the lumber on the sticks is greater than the resista-nce of the springs 95, the latch members will, open and permit the rear ends of the strips to drop upon the stack and thus the Anew layer yof lumber will rest on these sticks and be spaced from the next layer below.

Figure l shows the stack of lumber .L placed on a car X which is moved vertically oif the track T by hydraulic means shown generally at H.

The hydraulic means can be controlled in any manner to properly adjust the stack to receive the layer of lumber from the stacker thereon. Figure 34 shows a layer of lumber with the strips 110 thereon and Figure 35 shows one of these strips. y

I prefer to have the endless members travel about one-tenth faster than the carriage.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of thel invention will be readily apparent. l

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, providedv that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed ist-'- i l. A lumber stacking apparatus comprising a frame, endless `members carried'by the frame, manually operated means for placing on said endless members `a number of boards, a recipro-catory carriage carried by the frame, means for lowering the rear positions of the endless members `to deposit the `lumber thereon upon the carriage, means for removing the lumber from the carriage on the return movement' of the carriage, means for reciprocating the carriage, and means associated with lthe reciprocating means for lowering and raising the rear portions of the endless members', spacer strip holders, and means operated by the movement of the carriage for releasing the strips from the holders and placing them on the stack'in advance of the lumber placed on the stack bythe carriage( 2. A lumber stacker comprising a frame, endless members supported by the frame, a til'table carrier on which a number of boards are placed by hand, manually operated means for tilting the carrier to deposit Athe boards upon the endless members, a reciprocatoiy carriage in the frame, means for lowering portions of the endless members to deposit the boards upon the carriage, said carriagehaving itsboard receiving portion moving beyond the frame on lthe delivery stroke oi4 the carriage, meansoperated by the carriagevfor moving the boardsoi the carriage on the return stroke of the carriage, means for 'operatingthe carriage.A

stacker of the class described comprising a frame, endless members supported thereby, manually operated means for depositing the lumber upon the endless members, a reciprocatory carriagein the frame, track means for the endless members including movable rear parts, means ior normally holdingsaid movable parts in raised position 'with the endless members carried thereby above the carriage, means for releasing said holding means to permit the movable track portions to move downwardly to deposit lumber upon the carriage, means for reciprocating the carriage, vkincludimy a diskand a pitman connecting the disk with the carriage, and means on the for moving the holding means to releasing position.

` 4. A stacker of the class described comprising a frame, ndless members supported thereby, manually ope-rated means for depositing the lumber upon the endless members, a reciprocatory carriage in the frame, track means for the endless members including movable rear parts, means for normally holding said movable parts Ain raised position with endless members carried thereby above the carriage, means for releasing said holding means to permit the movable track portions to move downwardly to deposit lumber upon the carriage, means for reciprocating the carriagaineluding a disk, a pitman connecting the disk with the carriage, and means on the disk for moving the said holding means to releasingr position, and means for rendering the disk operating means active when the lumber nears its discharging point.

5. In combination with an adjustable lumber stack holding member, lumber feeding means for placing the lumber in superimposed layers on said member, such means including a reciprocatory carriage, a frame supp rted above the stack, holders adjustably arranged in the frame, each holder comprising a chamber for receiving a separator strip, spring actuated members forV holding the rear ends of the strips in the chambers,l means for holding the front ends of the strips in the front ends of the chambers, and means operated by the carriage for moving said last mentioned holding means to releasing position. v6. In combination with an adjustable lumber stack holding member, lumber feeding means for lease@ placingthe lumber in superimposed layers on said member,l` such means including a 'recprooatory carriage, a `frame supported above the stack,'holders adjustably arranged in the frame, each' holder comprising a chamber for Yreceiving a separator strip, spring actuated membersfiorrholding the rear ends of the stripsin the chambers, means for `holding the frontv ends Vof the strips 1in the front ends of the chambers, andvmeans operated by the carriagefor moving said vlast mentioned holding means to releasing position, such last mentionedpholding means including 'a lower part forming a rest for the front end 'of the lowermost strip and an upper beveled member for passing Abetween the front ends of the lowermost vstrip and the next'strip above as the lower memberis moving to position to release the front end of the lowermost strip. p y

` 7. In combination with an adjustable lumber stack holding member, lumber feeding means for placingy the lumber in superimposed layers on said member, suchmeans including a reciprocat'ory carriage,a framesupported above the stack, holders adjustably arranged in the frame, each holder comprising a chamber for receiving Aseparator strips, spring actuated members for holding the rear ends of the strips in' the chambers, means iorholding the frontends of the strips in the front 'ends ofthe chambers, means operated by the carriage for moving said last mentioned holding means to releasing position, and means for adjusting the holder frame vertically andas "to its inclination.

8. .A lumber stacker comprising a supporting trame, track members at the top' of the frame, each ,track member including a rear part hingedly connected to thefron't part, endless members supported in the'frame and having their upper reaches passing over the track meinberaa lever supported in the frameand connected withthe rear ends of the hinged track sections, a rock shaft journaled in the frame, an arm thereonengaging part of the lever to hold the same in position with the track sections in raised position,

a bar connected with the rock shaft,l a disk rotatably supported in the frame and having a projection thereon for engaging a part of the bar to move the saine to rock the shaft to move the arm out of engagement with the'lever, a stop projection on the lever which, when the lever is in raised position, will extend above the tracks, a carriage supported in the frame, means for reciprocating the same by the rotary movement of the disk,

said carriage receivingl lumber from the endless members when the hinged track sections arein lowered position, means operatedby the carriage when the same nears the end of its rearward stroke for returning the rock shaft to its normal position to cause the arm on the rock shaft to lower the front end vof the lever to raise `thetrack sections, a drive shaft, clutch means forconnecting the same to the disk, means operated by the lumber near its discharge position for moving the clutch means vinto operative position to rotate 'the disk, manually operated meansfor depositing a number 'of boards on the endless. members tor form the successive layers of a stack, a finger carrying shaft at the rear of the frame,l the fingers of which prevent the lumber from returning with the carriage after being placed over the stack, means for operating the shaft by the movement of the carriage, and means operated by the movement of the carriage for ydr-ipn'isiting spacer strips on the stack between the layers of lumber.

' JOHN KNUDSON. 

